


A Sirius Conversation

by amandadubose88



Category: Harry Potter J.K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 14:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11556924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amandadubose88/pseuds/amandadubose88
Summary: AU Severus overhears a  conversation that may change everything





	A Sirius Conversation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Demondog136](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demondog136/gifts).



> AU Takes place after Harry sees Snape's memories in the pensieve. Harry is at Grimaud for Easter.

A Sirius Conversation 

Takes place in 5th year.

 

“So, it’s ok to treat someone like that if they’re different. If they don’t live up to your expectations of what you think someone should be?” Harry’s voice was deceptively quiet.  
“Yes, no, well sort of. I mean he was everything we stood against. He was one of them.” Was Sirius’ witless reply.  
A freak, a nobody. Someone who deserved whatever he got.”  
“Yes, see you understand.” Sirius was still clueless.  
Harry slowly stood.  
“Oh yes, I understand. I understand more than you think. You’re just like the Dursleys. It’s ok to hurt, belittle, demean, abuse someone; just because they don’t fit into your category of normal. It’s fine to lock someone in a cupboard for a few weeks without food, or beat them till they’re unconscious because. Hey, they’re just a freak, one of them, not like the decent normal people and therefore don’t deserve to be treated like a human.”  
Harry had tears streaming down his face by the time he finished speaking.  
“No Harry, that’s not what I meant at all. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment.”  
Harry cut across him.  
“There’s no real difference in what you did to Professor Snape and what the Dursley’s did to me. And you can’t even use the excuse that you were just a kid. You were the same age I am now, and I don’t do that even to Malfoy. You’re an adult now and you still do the same thing and see nothing wrong with it.  
You still bait and goad him. Even when you knew how he treats me and anything you did to him would come back on me you did it anyway.  
So, tell me Sirius what makes you any better than the Dursleys who made my life hell?”  
Remus entered the conversation at that point. “Harry, you have to understand, things were different in those times.”  
Harry rounded on him.  
“That’s a load of hippogriff dung. Even if the public is still unaware that Voldemort is back, all the death-eater kids know. So, do a lot of others in the school whether they want to admit or not. And considering we know what happened the first time he was in power, I’d say things are worse than when you were in school. And I really don’t want to hear what you have to say anyway, Remus. You sat there and did nothing. Just like all the neighbors in Little Whinging. They saw me doing all the yard work, taking out the rubbish, painting the house, shed and garage, saw Dudley doing nothing, saw me being bullied by all the neighborhood kids led by my cousin, saw that I wore his cast-offs while he had the best clothes saw how small I was and too skinny, and how fat he was and how he was always stuffing his face, but they did nothing. They saw and they knew and they chose to believe the lies my relatives spread about me when everything pointed to it being lies and they chose to do nothing.”  
And don’t feed me that crap about you caring what happens to me. I was dumped on the Dursley’s doorstep like so much rubbish. For ten years I never heard from any of my parents so called friends, including you. If you want to play the Dumbledore card, saying he wanted me separated from the wizarding world, then I have to wonder why you didn’t write or visit and just not tell me about magic. And what about my first two years at Hogwarts? Where were you then? During my third year you had ample opportunity to tell me about my parents and that you were friends with them. You didn’t bother to do even that until the end of the year. Then I didn’t hear from you that summer nor all through fourth year and the hell of the tournament. Then back to isolation at the Dursley’s after what I had seen and gone through and you weren’t there then or for any of this year. “  
Harry turned away from them.  
“It’s been made clear to me that I don’t matter to you anymore than I matter to Dumbledore or anyone else for that matter. He sees me only as a weapon. The wizarding world sees me as a scapegoat, whether to blame all their problems on, or to fix all their problems so they won’t have to. As for the two of you, Sirius you see me as my father not for myself. And Remus you can’t be bothered to care unless it’s on Dumbledore’s orders. So, I really want nothing to do with either of you.”

********** 

Severus had been about to enter the kitchen when he had heard the voices of Black and Potter. Sure, he was about to hear them laughing about Potter’s discovery of the memory of his humiliation by the Marauders, he instead stood in total shock at what he was hearing.  
He wasn’t sure which was more surprising; the fact that a Potter was defending him, or that the Boy-Who-Lived was not the spoiled, pampered prince he had always supposed.  
Now that he thought about it, there had been signs. Potter had been too small,  
too thin,  
too skittish,  
too quiet, for a child who had been raised as James Potter had.  
Was Severus really so different from Black?  
He hadn’t changed either. In fact, it could be argued he was worse than when he was in school. He had transferred the grudge he had with a dead man to a child who had never known James potter, had never been raised by him, nor had his or Black’s influence.  
At least when he and the Marauders attacked each other they had been on equal footing. Whereas Harry potter had been a child, while he, Severus Snape had been an adult and a teacher. Harry could not fight back when Severus vitriol was aimed at him.  
He pulled himself away from his musings when he realized Potter was likely about to come through the door. Before he could move out of the way, Harry came stumbling through the door and Severus suddenly had an armful of crying teenager.

********** 

Harry felt like his heart was breaking. He should have been able to count on these two people if no one else. They were supposed to be his parents’ friends; supposed to be ones he could turn to. Though they said they cared about him, their actions indicated otherwise.  
He had to get away from them, had to find somewhere to break down, had to find a place where he could be himself.  
Alone.  
Again.  
Like always.  
Instead when he stumbled out the kitchen door he found himself being held by someone. Not roughly or painfully, as he was used to, but gently; arms carefully enveloping him.  
It only took a moment before Harry realized who held him. He recognized the smell of lavender and cloves and knew he had fallen against his potions professor.

********** 

Severus world had tilted on its axis as he listened to the conversation in the other room. His views and beliefs about Harry Potter had shifted so quickly, it nearly made him dizzy.  
So, when Harry fell against him he acted on instinct and gently wrapped his arms around the diminutive Gryffindor.  
As he felt the teen shaking with the force of his tears, he began to rub Harry’s back soothingly.  
Contrary to belief, Severus was not a cold or unfeeling man. Having had little friendly contact with others growing up; much the same as Harry, he had often withdrew into his own mind. His position as a spy had further alienated him from others.  
Though it took a great deal for him to see when and how he had been wrong about a situation or person; once he realized it, he was able to admit his fault and work to rectify the matter.  
It had taken an accidentally overheard conversation for Severus to understand Harry.  
Not the Boy Who Lived.  
Not the Savior of the Wizarding World.  
Not the Gryffindor Golden Boy.  
Not James potter.  
Nor even the Son of James Potter.  
But just Harry, A child who was never allowed to be a child. A 15-year-old, who had too much thrust upon his shoulders, with no training, no help, no support.  
And Severus was about to change everything in his own life, no matter the consequences to give Harry, just Harry, what no one ever tried to give him.


End file.
